


I'll Be Here With You

by susies_fandom_wonders



Series: Under the Mask [6]
Category: Layton Kyouju Series | Professor Layton Series
Genre: Angst, F/M, Unwound Future Spoilers, claire's gotta go back to her own time and hersh can't accept that, utm au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-16
Updated: 2018-12-16
Packaged: 2019-09-19 23:14:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 733
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17011011
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/susies_fandom_wonders/pseuds/susies_fandom_wonders
Summary: Claire has to go back to her own time. She wants to know what happened to Hershel, first.





	I'll Be Here With You

“Hershel?” Dark eyes gazed up at him, red hair falling into her scratched and bruised face as she cupped his cheek. Hershel couldn’t help but lean into Claire’s touch, eyes closing and _no, she can’t be back only for her to go again_. He felt Claire’s fingers trail up to his ear, and he opened his eyes to find Claire tilting her head, a small frown tugging at her lips. Hershel knew she was gazing at the hearing aid, and she pushed his head to the side gently, and he knew that she could see the shaved area of his head, scars from the incisions still raised and prominent. “...Your hearing had always been fine.”

“Claire, I….” Hershel slowly raised a hand to cover Claire’s, lowering it as his fingers intertwined with hers. “I don’t want to talk about it.”

Her expression turned sad. “I’ve read a lot about your adventures, Hershel.”

“Then you already know?”

“I have a general idea. There’s only so much newspaper articles can say.” Claire looked up at him, and her grip on his hand tightened. “Can’t you tell me? Before I have to go?”

“Claire, don’t say that.” Tears burned in Hershel’s eyes; he couldn’t say goodbye to her again.

“We both can’t avoid it.” Claire reached up, thin fingers brushing away the tears that began to fall down Hershel’s face. Her body seemed to shimmer for a moment. “Already, I can feel my body destabilizing. I’m not long for this world.” Her eyes began to shine with unshed tears. “I wish I could stay longer.”

“I can’t lose you again.” Hershel’s lips pulled back into a grimace. “I don’t know what I’ll do if… if you leave me again.”

“... I won’t leave you until I have to. I promise, Hershel.” Claire smiled despite the tears running down her face, pulling Hershel down and pressing a soft kiss onto his lips. “I’m so proud of you.”

Hershel swallowed thickly, trying to will the lump in his throat to go away. “I -- what do you know?”

“Your discovery of the City of Harmony. Your friends at Monte d’Or.” Claire pursed her lips. “Your disappearance afterwards. What happened?”

“I was -- captured. By a now defunct organization.” Hershel’s free hand reached up to touch his hearing aid. “They used me against my brother. One of the agents there, he --” Claire’s eyebrows furrowed together, her lips pulling into a deep frown. “I’ve only recently gotten everything taken care of.”

“Hershel, I -- I can’t imagine what that must have been like.”

“You were all I could think about.” Claire’s expression twisted, then. “I thought I was going to --”

“But you didn’t, Hershel.” Her voice was choked. “You didn’t… die -- you didn’t die when you were there, and you can continue to live now.” Claire’s body flickered, then faded slightly. Her tears sparkled as they fell from her chin, twinkling and disappearing before they hit the ground. “I love you, Hershel. I love you so much.”

“Claire -- don’t --” Hershel’s breath seemed to stop as Claire wrapped her arms around his torso, pressing her body tightly against his. Hershel screwed his eyes shut.

“Everything will be alright.” Claire’s voice was a whisper.

“Don’t leave --”

“I’ll be here with you. Always.”

Hershel felt the pressure around his torso lift, then disappear completely. A new weight settled in his chest, heavy and painful. He didn’t want to open his eyes; didn’t want to open them and see that she wasn’t there anymore. His body shuddered with a harsh, choked sob, his hands raising to his face, clawing at his forehead hard enough to draw blood.

The professor wanted to scream. His throat closed up completely before he could, breaths coming in sharp, shuddering gasps. He couldn’t breathe.

Hershel barely registered the hand on his shoulder, the quick, soft mutterings that even his hearing aid couldn’t quite pick up for him. Hands pulled away his own -- his blurred vision finally settled on Desmond.

“... Breathe. Breathe, Hershel -- that’s it, come back to me, I’m here.” Desmond gave a soft, encouraging smile that didn’t reach his eyes. “That’s it --”

“She’s gone --” Des’s smile dropped -- before Hershel knew it, he was being crushed in a tight embrace. He gripped Des tightly, as if he’d disappear as well if he let go, hat nearly falling off his head as he pushed his face into his brother’s shoulder.

“... I know. I understand.”

**Author's Note:**

> This still feels Under Par but what can you do?


End file.
